Independent review to be held over maternity services at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin
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An independent inquiry is to be held into maternity services at Dr Gray's Hospital.
Maternity services at the Elgin hospital were downgraded in July 2018 because of staff shortages.
Jeane Freeman, The Health Secretary, confirmed today that she has commissioned the review which will consider how a consultant-led service could be reinstated
It will be led by Ralph Roberts, the chief executive of NHS Borders, who will report his findings and recommendations in June.
Ms Freeman said: "The Scottish Government is pleased this review will be led by Ralph Roberts who has considerable experience of the challenges of remote and rural health care delivery through his work in NHS Borders and NHS Shetland.
"My position hasn’t changed and I remain committed to the reintroduction of consultant-led maternity services at Dr Gray’s in a safe and sustainable way.
"This Independent Review will consider, and where appropriate contribute to, the work underway in the ‘Best Start North’ review, commissioned jointly by NHS Grampian, Highland and the Island Boards, to examine the model of maternity and neonatal services in the North that will report later in the year.
"The review will consider all the issues and hear directly from staff at Dr Gray’s and the local community.
"I expect the review to conclude and report to the Cabinet Secretary in June."
Moray’s MSP has welcomed the announcement that an independent review is to be held.
Richard Lochhead states he recently met with Ms Freeman to raise concerns about the lack of progress being made by NHS Grampian.
He adds that he asked for an external intervention to focus on how the service could help address the growing fear that the issue was being allowed to drift.
Commenting, Mr Lochhead said: "This is very welcome intervention by the Health Secretary and I warmly welcome plans for an independent review into maternity services at Dr Gray’s Hospital, given the huge amount of frustration felt by the local community over the lack of progress being made by NHS Grampian.
"Having met Ms Freeman recently to discuss the future of maternity services in Moray, I know that the Scottish Government is committed to restoring a consultant-led service in Elgin and I’m pleased that she has reiterated that position.
"This is a hugely important issue for the people of Moray and I am pleased that the Health Secretary has taken on board the concerns of the Keep Mum campaign that I took to her at our recent meeting and this is the response we were looking for.
"I hope that this review will ensure our consultant led service is restored in a safe and sustainable way, and that the vast majority of women are able to once again deliver their babies locally.
"I am delighted that the review will focus on how the service can be restored to help address the view locally that the issue was beginning to drift.
"We need to return to the situation where the vast majority of local women can once again give birth at Dr Gray’s.
"This is a big step forward for the campaign."
Professor Caroline Hiscox, the chief executive of NHS Grampian, has also welcomed the announcement of the review.
She said: "We look forward to working with all of the parties involved over the next couple of months to make sure we put in place a service that is safe, sustainable and meets the needs of people across Moray.
"The scope of the review, which will take into account the views of local people, healthcare staff and families, as well as explore potential solutions using the resources of both NHS Grampian and NHS Highland, is also hugely welcome.
"We are eager to explore any options for the service identified by the review team and in particular any solutions that will enable us to deliver consultant care safely and sustainably in Elgin.
"This is a positive move forward for our staff and the population of Moray."
The Keep Mum campaign has long pushed for the return of a consultant-led service.
A spokesperson for the group said: "An independent review is exactly what we were campaigning for because we have lost all faith in NHS Grampian.
"We are especially pleased that Ralph Roberts, will consider how a consultant-led service could be reinstated that is safe, deliverable and sustainable and will take into account the views of women, their families, staff and stakeholders. He has involvement with NHS Shetland and the Borders – both have good maternity care.
"The Keep Mum campaign will continue to highlight the weaknesses and inequality in the current maternity services in Moray."
Douglas Ross stated that the future of a consultant-led maternity service at Dr Gray's Hospital has been "kicked into the long grass".
Earlier this week Moray's MP challenged the SNP to match the Scottish Conservative commitment to make a manifesto promise to restore the full, consultant-led service.
Speaking today, he added: "Richard Lochhead has spent the last three years blaming NHS Grampian for the failure to restore a full consultant-led maternity service at Dr Gray's and saying it had nothing to do with the SNP government.
"Now, with one day to go before the end of this parliament, we have an announcement of a review that won't report back until after the election.
"We still have no commitment from Richard Lochhead or the SNP to restore the full consultant-led service.
"The Scottish Conservatives will have that promise in black and white in our manifesto – can the SNP match that?
"This seems more like a cynical pre-election ploy to try and win votes rather than resolve the issue.
"And Jeane Freeman still hasn't responded to my request to meet local families and hear first-hand how difficult it has been for mums-to-be forced to travel to and from Aberdeen to give birth.
"I think the people of Moray deserve more than the promise of a review, which is simply a way of kicking this issue into the long grass, when all they want is to see this service restored."
